Bracket construction for plumbing fixtures



y 1942- v M.. A. CROZIER 2,283,794

BRACKET conswnucnon FOR PLUMBING FIXTURES Filed Feb. 24, 1941 2Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEY I of practical use.

Patented May 19, 1942 BRACKET CONSTRUCTION FOR PLUMBING FIXTURES MichaelA. Crozier, New York, N. Y., assignor to Crozier Manufacturing 00.,Mount Vernon, N. Y., a oo-partnership composed of Joseph A. Crozier andMichael A. Crozier Application February 24, 1941, Serial No. 380,246

15 Claims.

This invention relates to bracket construction, particularly for thesupport or attachment of plumbing fixtures, such as lavatories, from orto a Wall, or the like, and more particularly to bracket construction ofthe type disclosed in my co-pending application Serial No. 335,032;filed May 14, 1940, matured on February 25, 1941, into Patent No.2,233,342.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a bracket supportparticularly for plumbing fixtures of the above-mentioned character thatwill be simple and inexpensive to manufacture, easy to install, andquickly adaptable to the various variables met with in practice, such asthose imposed upon the installing of a plumbing fixture like a lavatorywith respect to spacing of the fixture from the wall, and others.Another object is to provide a bracket construction of theabove-mentioned character that will be compact, strong, and capable ofsecuring the part to be fixed dependably in place and throughout asuitable range of flexibility to meet the varying conditions ofpractical use. Another object is to provide a bracket construction ofthe abovementioned character in which, in course of fabrication,machining or machine tool operations may be of simple and inexpensivecharacter, or reduced to a minimum, While at the same time achievingappropriate accuracy and dependability of action of the bracket to meetthe requirements Other objects will be in part obvious or in partpointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts as will beexemplified in the structure to be hereinafter described and the scopeof the application of which will be indicated in the fOllOWiIlg claims.

In the accompanying drawings in which are shown by way of illustrationseveral of the various possible embodiments of my invention,

Figure 1 is a small scale side elevation showing an installation of aplumbing fixture, such as a sink or lavatory, in coaction with mybracket construction;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of one form of bracket construction, withcertain parts broken away, showing it secured to a wall and also inrelation to an illustrative form of plumbing fixture;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view as seen along the line 33 ofFigure 2;

Figures 4 and 5 are side elevations, with portions broken away, showingother possible forms in which the features of my present invention maybe embodied, and

Figure 6 is a'sectional view as seen along the line 6-6 of Figure 4 andalong the line 6-6 of Figure 5.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout theseveral views of the drawings.

Referring first to Figure 1, I have indicated generally by the referencecharacter It a plumbing fixture, such as a lavatory, sink, or the like,intended to be supported along or adjacent to a wall ll and at asuitable height above the fioor l2. Usually such fixtures have to beprovided with three pipe connections, such as the hot water and coldwater pipes and a drain pipe, being usually provided with three holes oropenings for these. connections. With prior bracket supports, theinherent limitations impose such precision in building up theinstallation, particularly as to the piping, that relocation orresetting of pipe connections or brackets or both or other costlyexpedients have to be resorted to to match spacings and height from thewall and floor to the bracket supports and to the pipe fittings. In myabove-mentioned co-pending application I have disclosed bracketconstructions overcoming such disadvantages and in my presentapplication it is an object to provide a bracket construction alsoavoiding such deficiencies and disadvantages of prior practice andachieving other advantages.

In Figure 1 the fixture I0 may be supported in any suitable way as bylegs or standards S at it front end and at the rear end is supportedfrom the wall H by two spaced brackets B like those about to bedescribed. Thus, the brackets 13 may be like the bracket l3, shown inFigures 2 and 3, having a horizontal bracket portion M of suitablelength and a downwardly extending vertical portion l5 at its rear orleft-hand nd to rest against the wall I l and to be secured thereto inany suitable manner, preferably as by a screw it extending through aslot ll, thus providing a range of change of position vertically of thebracket l3. Preferably, also, the vertical portion [5 is tapered, asindicated in Figure 2, so. as to resist, bythe resultant wedging action,downward shift of the bracket under its load.

The fixture ID has a peripheral depending flange or apron Ii] andpreferably its lower edge rests upon the horizontal bracket portion M,the latter being of a length to provide an appropriate range of shift ofthe fixture l0 relative to the wall II, and preferably the upper face 14of upwardly through the guideway i8 is a member 1 23 which forms part ofthe securing means.

Member 20 illustratively comprises a part 2|] which extends above theface 14 and presents an end face, which may be cushioned in any suitableway, for engagement with the fixture part Ill it has a neck-like part 23which is accommodated in the guideway |3, and a sleeve-like part 2!)generally and preferably cylindrical in shape and extendin lengthwise ofthe bracket portion l4. Sleeve part 23 is drilled along its axis as at23' to coact with a screw 2| that extends through the hole in the part23 and also through a hole 22 in 9, depending lug 23 near the outer endof the bracket portion l4.

Opposed to the lug 23 is an upstanding lug 24 n.)

provided with a threaded hole 25 whose axi extends above the upper face|4 and in line with the center of the end or clamping face of theportion 26 of the element 20; in this hole 25 is threaded a screw 26whose free end 26 thus becomes juxtaposed to and alined with the part 20screw 26 and hence its end 2| being longitudinally movable orpositionable according to the extent that it is threaded relative to itssupporting lug 24.

The member 20, the screw 2|, and the depending lug 23 are suitablyinterrelated to efiect 9 change in position of the element 26lengthwiseof the bracket portion M and illustratively this relationshipmay be effected by threading the hole 2i] in the sleeve portion 26 ofelement 20, the hole 22 in the depending lug 23 being an unthreaded holeand forming a bearing for the right-hand end of screw 2| which, in thisarrangement is thus rotatable, as by its head 2| which can abut againstthe outer face of the lug 23. With this arrangement, element 26 is movedto leftmost position and screw 26 is backed oif toward the right, thusexposing as much as may be desired of the upper face |4 of the bracketonto which to receive the apron IE1 and along and crosswise of which theapron Ill is shifted according to the requirements of the pipingconnections and other factors.

When the desired spacings of the fixture have been achieved, includingvertical spacing from the floor |2 accomplished by the coaction possibleby way of the screw I6 and slot member 20 is now moved to the right, asviewed in Figure 2, and with the above-described relationship betweenthe member 20, screw 2| and lug 23, screw 2| may be rotated by way ofits head 2| in a direction to draw the member 20 toward the right, thusbringing the face of portion 23 snug- 1y against the outer or left-handface of the depending part In placing the screw 2| in tension, screw 2|thus holding the member 29 against movement toward the left.

Screw 26 is now turned in a direction to move it and itsfixture-engaging end 26 toward the left and into engagement with theinner or righthand face of the apron or fixture part Ill thus placingscrew 26 in compression. Either or both of the screws are now tightenedup to the extent desired to effect the desired gripping of the fixture,it being noted that the action of the two screws is in effect mutuallyfor one to lock the other. Also, the fixture I0 becomes dependablysecured in its intended or desired position. If desired, a lock nut 21may be employed to additionally lock screw 25 and where screw 2| doesnot partake of longitudinal movement, it is preferable to have its freeend extend into a hole 28 in the vertical bracket portion l5, thus toaid the screw in resisting bending under the reaction of the element 26.Preferably, also, the front face of th vertical bracket portion I5 isrecessed, as at liv to accommodate the element 29 farther to the left,when necessary.

In installations where accessibility to the operating orbracket-controlling part may be hampered and hence where accessibilityto these parts is preferably from the under side of the bracket, abracket construction like that of Figure 4 may be employed where thebracket is indicated generally by the reference character 36 and isconstructed substantially like the bracket l3 of Figures 2 and 3excepting that the upstanding lug 24 is omitted. Here the screw 2|having a bearing in the hole 22 in the depending lug 23 and a hearing atits left-hand end in the hole 28 in the vertical bracket portion 5, ispreferably held against longitudinal movement by any suitable means,such as a nut 3| screwed onto its free end and accommodated in asuitable recess [5' formed in the back face of the vertical bracket partHi, the end of the screw being headed over or expanded as at 2| ifdesired, so as to lock the nut 3|, or a nut 32 may be threaded onto thescrew 2| adjacent the depending lug 23.

In the arrangement of Figure 4 I preferably provide two elements 33 and34 constructed in general like the element 23 of Figures 2 and 3. Thus,each has a part 23 with fixture-engaging faces facing toward each other,these parts extending upwardly beyond the upper face l4 of thehorizontal bracket part l4, neck-like portions 23 that extend throughthe guideway or slot I8 and cylindrical sleeve-like portions 23 havingholes 23 drilled therethrough to receive therethrough the screw 3|.

The members 33- and 34 are shiftable lengthwise of the guideway l8 andalso relative to each other, thus to position them at the selected pointor points along the horizontal portion |4 of the bracket and thus tochange the spacing between the portions 20 23 thereof to receive betweenthe latter and hold and clamp the fixture part Hi according to theshifting of the fixture ID to its final position. Such shifting of themembers 33, 34 may be achieved in various ways. For example, neither ofthe holes 20 26 need be threaded so that the members 33, 34 are simplyslidable along the screw 2|, their final positions along the bracketportion I4 and the spacing therebetween and the gripping or holdingpressure being in such case determined by nuts 35 and 36. Thus, thelatter may be backed off toward the respective ends of the screw 2|,thus leaving the members 33, 34 free to slide lengthwise of the guidewayl8 and bracket portion M and when the final-position of the fixture partH] has been determined, members 33 and 34 are slid up against the outerand inner faces respectively of the part Ill whence the nuts 35 and 36may be brought up against the members 33 and 34, respectively, thedegree of tightening determining the clamping pressure upon the part I6Preferably, screw 2! is held against rotation, and this may be effectedby the nut 32.

Or, if desired, one of the holes in the two members 33, 34, such as thehole 2!! in the mem-- ber 33, may be threaded and thus be in threadedconnection with the screw 2i and the hole in the other member, such ashole 20 in member 34, not threaded so that member 34, is freely slidablealong the screw 2|. With such an arrangement the member that has thethreaded hole, such as member 33, is shiftable lengthwise of theguideway I3 by rotating the screw 2|, as by a screw driver operatingupon its head, and by such means, when the part it has been given itsfinal position, member 33 may be brought up against it, nut 32 beingloosened to permit rotation of the screw 2|; with member 33 set inposition, nut 32 may be tightened to lock the screw 24 and nut 35 may bebacked up against the member 33. Member 34 may then be slid toward theleft to bring its part 20 into engagement with the opposite face of partHi whence nut 36 is backed up against it to achieve the desired clampingpressure.

Or, the holes 23 of both members 33, 34 may be threaded and in threadedengagement with the screw 2!, as shown in Figure 5. With thisarrangement rotation of the screw 2| moves the members 33, 34 togetherin a direction lengthwise of the guideway 53 and horizontal bracketportion 53, maintaining, during the movement, the spacing between theparts 23 23 thereof that is initially determined in threading the screw2! onto the two members 33, 34. Such spacing approximates the thicknessof the part W to be engaged between the members 23 23 and in practicethat thickness may vary, it being noted that plumbing fixtures of theabove-mentioned type may be thick-walled, as when they are cast, and maybe relatively thin-walled as when made of sheet metal. The screw 2i hasa bearing in hole 22 of the lug 23 and, if it is desired materially tochange the spacing, by backing off the nut 32, the assemblage may beslid to the right and thence, by turning screw 2|, the screw may bedisengaged from the member 33, and, by varying the amount of the screwprojecting to the left from the member 34, the screw 2! and member 33may be reengaged; thereafter, rotation of the screw 2| shifts themembers 33, 34 as a unit lengthwise of the bracket art it, maintainingthe new spacing.

The position of the members 33, 34 lengthwise of the bracket portion M,determined in accordance with the final position of the fixture part It,may then be fixed, as by nut 32, between which and the head 2% of thescrew the lug 23 is thereby clamped.

Preferably, parts 20 23 are constructed to grip the fixture part w andillustratively this may be achieved as by a clamping screw 38 inthreaded engagement with a threaded hole in one of the parts 23 such asthe part 20 of member 34, whence screw 33 may be tightened up to clampthe part w between the two spaced members 33, 34. Preferably, theleft-hand end of screw 2!, as in the form of Figure 2, has a simplebearing in a hole 28 in the vertical bracket portion 25 from which itmay be withdrawn when change in the spacing between the parts 33 and 34is to be effected, as above described, but which, during action of thebracket, strengthens the support of screw 25 and aids it in resistingany reactions dueto the clamping effect of members 33, 34 upon thefixture part w Thus, it will be seen that there has been provided inthis invention bracket construction in which the various objects abovenoted, together with many thoroughly practical advantages, aresuccessfully achieved. It will be seen that the constructions are simpleand inexpensive to manufacture, yet dependable and reliable in actionand that they are well adapted to meet the peculiar conditions, such asthose earlier mentioned above, met with in the installation of plumbingfixtures. The parts, furthermore, will be seen to be constructed so asto reduce machining or machine tool operations; thus, elements like thebracket part I3 of Figure 2 or the bracket part 30 of Figures, 4 and 5and securing elements like the element of Figure 2 and the elements 33and 3d of Figures 4 and 5, may be in the form of castings and that theprincipal operations comprise the drilling of holes and in someinstances the threading of a hole or two, operations which can be easilyand economically effected by utilizing jigs. Moreover, the constructionwill be seen to be well adapted to meet the hard and varying conditionsof practical use.'

As many possible embodiments may be made of the above invention and asmany changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is tobe understood that all matter hereinbefore set forth or shown in theaccompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in alimiting sense.

I claim:

1. A bracket construction for a plumbing fixture like a lavatory thathas a depending part like an apron or flange, comprising a supportingbracket having means mounting it to sustain a vertical load and having ahorizontal supporting portion over which said depending part is receivedwith the latter extendingv transversely thereof, whereby said plumbingfixtures, in course of installation, may be adjusted or shifted indirections lengthwise and crosswise of said horizontal supportingportion, said horizontal portion having means forming a guidewayextending lengthwise thereof, a screw extending lengthwise of saidhorizontal portion and below the upper face thereof, said bracket havingmeans for supporting said screw below said upper face, and securingmeans carried by said bracket and operative to secure whatever portionof said depending part is presented to it as a result of shifting ofsaid plumbing fixture; said securing means comprising a member having apart projecting above said upper face, a sleeve-like part extendingbelow said face and having said screw extending therethrough and a partcoacting with said guideway,'whereby said member is shiftable lengthwiseof said horizontal portion to bring its first-mentioned partintoengagement with one side of said depending fixture part in the positionto which the latter is shifted lengthwise of said horizontal portion,and means coacting with said member and shiftable relative to saidhorizontal portion of said bracket to bring it into engagement with theother side of said depending part in the aforesaid position of thelatter, thereby to hold said depending part against movement out of theposition into which it was placed by shifting as aforesaid.

2. A bracket construction as claimed in claim 1 in which saidlast-mentioned means of said securing means comprises a screw extendingabove said upper face and lengthwise of said horizontal portion, saidbracket having means for shiftably supporting said screw, whereby saidscrew may be actuated to clamp said depending part against saidfirst-mentioned part of said member.

3. A bracket construction as claimed in claim 1 in which saidlast-mentioned means of said securing means comprises a second membersubstantially like said first-mentioned member and having a part toengage the other side of said depending fixture part, a sleeve-like partthrough which said screw extends and a part coacting with said guideway,said two sleeve-like parts and said screw having coacting means to causethe first-mentioned part of each of said members to substantially gripsaid depending fixture part.

4. A bracket construction as claimed in claim 1 in which saidlast-mentioned means of said securing means comprises a second membersubstantially like said first-mentioned member and having a part toengage the other side of said depending fixture part, a sleeve-like partthrough which said screw extends and a part coacting with said guideway,said screw and said sleevelike part of said second-mentioned memberhaving coacting parts whereby the position of said second-mentionedmember lengthwise of said screw and relative to said first-mentionedpart may be fixed, the first-mentioned part of one of said membershaving screw means to coact with the first-mentioned part of the otherof said members to substantially grip said depending fixture parttherebetween.

5. A bracket construction as claimed in claim 1 in which saidlast-mentioned means of said securing means comprises a second membersubstantially like said first-mentioned member and having a part toengage the other side of said depending fixture part, a sleeve-like partthrough which said screw extends, and a part coacting with said guidewaywhereby said second member is shiftable lengthwise thereof, at least oneof said sleeve-like parts being in threaded connection with said screwand shiftable upon rotation of said screw.

6. A bracket construction as claimed in claim 1 in which saidlast-mentioned means of said securing means comprises a second membersubstantially like said first-mentioned member and having a part toengage the other side of said depending fixture part, a sleeve-like partthrough which said screw extends, and a part coaoting with said guidewaywhereby said second member is shiftable lengthwise thereof, said screwhaving thereon two nuts, one for each of said members.

7. A bracket construction as claimed in claim 1 in which saidlast-mentioned means of said securing means comprises a second membersubstantially like said first-mentioned member and having a part toengage the other side of said depending fixture part, asleeve-like partthrough which said screw extends, and a part coacting with said guidewaywhereby said second member is shiftable lengthwise thereof, at least oneof said sleeve-like parts being in threaded connection with said screwand shiftable upon rotation of said screw, both of said sleeve-likeparts of said two members being in threaded connection with said screw.

8. A bracket construction for a plumbing fixture like a lavatory thathas a depending part like an apron or flange, comprising a supportingbracket having means mounting it to sustain a vertical load and having ahorizontal supporting portion over which said depending part is receivedwith the latter extending transversely thereof, whereby said plumbingfixture, in course of installation, may be adjusted or shifted indirections lengthwise and crosswise of said horizontal supportingportion, and securing means for said depending fixture part comprisingtwo spaced shiftable elements projecting above the upper face of saidhorizontal portion to receive therebetween said depending part, a screwextending lengthwise of said horizontal supporting portion, the latterhaving means for supporting said screw and said two spaced elements ofsaid securing means having means in engagement with said screw forshifting them to respective positions, one on each side of saiddepending part and into engagement with the latter according to whateverposition said depending part is given lengthwise of said horizontalportion as a result of shifting it as aforesaid, thereby to hold saiddepending part against movement out of its shifted position.

9. A bracket construction for a plumbing fixture like a lavatory thathas a depending part like an apron or flange, comprising a supportingbracket having means mounting it to sustain a vertical load and having ahorizontal supporting portion over which said depending part is receivedwith the latter extending transversely thereof, whereby said plumbingfixture, in course of installation, may be adjusted or shifted indirections lengthwise and crosswise of said horizontal supportingportion, securing means for said depending part comprising two spacedparts between which said depending part is receivable, said two spacedparts being shiftable lengthwise of said horizontal bracket portion, andmeans for fixing the respective positions of said two spaced parts alongsaid horizontal portion according to the position into which saiddepending part is shifted lengthwise of said horizontal portion and intoengagement with the respective sides of said depending part and foreffecting thereby a gripping of said depending part in whatever positionthe latter is shifted as aforesaid and comprising at least two threadedmeans, one of which is in the form of a screw extending lengthwise ofsaid horizontal bracket portion and below the upper face of the latter,said bracket having means for supporting said screw in said position.

10. A bracket construction for a plumbing fixture like a lavatory thathas a depending part like an apron or flange, comprising a supportingbracket having means mounting it to sustain a vertical load and having ahorizontal supporting portion over which said depending part is receivedwith the latter extending transversely thereof, whereby said plumbingfixture, in course of installation, may be adjusted or shifted indirections lengthwise and crosswise of said horizontal supportingportion, securing means comprising two spaced parts above the upper faceof said horizontal supporting portion for receiving therebetween saiddepending part according to the position of the latter lengthwise ofsaid horizontal portion, and means for shifting said two spaced partsinto engagement respectively with the two sides of said depending partin whatever position the latter received as a result of shifting itlengthwise of said horizontal portion and for causing said two spacedparts to clamp said depending fixture part in its said position andcomprising two screw means extending lengthwise of said horizontalportion, said bracket having lug-like means with holes therein throughwhich said screw means extend, said screw means acting in opposition toeach other in effecting clamping of said depending part.

11. A bracket construction as claimed in claim in which said lug meansincludes a lug-like element projecting above the upper face. of saidhorizontal portion and thereby supports one of said screw means abovesaid upper face and in which said lug means comprises a means locatedbelow said upper face and supports its screw means below said upperface.

12. A bracket construction for a plumbing fixture like a lavatory thathas a depending part like an apron or flange, comprising a supportingbracket having means mounting it to sustain a vertical load and having ahorizontal supporting portion over which said depending part is received,with the latter extending transversely thereof, whereby said plumbingfixture, in course of installation, may be adjusted or shifted indirections lengthwise and crosswise of said horizontal supportingportion, said horizontal portion having a longitudinally extending slottherein, securing means comprising two spaced parts above the upper faceof said horizontal portion for receiving therebetween said dependingpart, at least one of said spaced parts having means extending throughsaid slot, means extending lengthwise of said horizontal portion andbelow said upper face and coacting with said means that extends throughsaid slot to position said part lengthwise of said horizontal bracketportion.

13. A bracket construction as claimed in claim 12 in which the other ofsaid spaced parts has means extending through said slot and meanscoacting therewith to position it lengthwise of said horizontal portion.

14. A bracket construction for a plumbing fixture like a lavatory thathas a depending part like an apron or flange, comprising a supportingbracket having means mounting it to sustain a vertical load and having ahorizontal supporting portion over which said depending part is receivedwith the latter extending transversely thereof, whereby said plumbingfixture,

in course of installation, may be adjusted or shifted in directionlengthwise and crosswise of said horizontal supporting portion, thelatter having a downwardly extending lug, a screw extending lengthwiseof saidhorizontal portion and below the upper face of the latter andcoacting with said lug, and securing means for said depending partincluding two spaced parts between which the latter is received andcomprising means coacting with said screw to permit shifting of said twospaced parts into engagement respectively with the two sides of saiddepending part in whatever position the latter receives as a result'cfshifting it lengthwise of said horizontal portion and acting to effectclamping of said depending part, in its said shifted position, by saidtwo spaced parts.

15. A bracket construction for a plumbing fixture like a lavatory thathas a depending part like an apron or fiange, comprising a supportingbracket having means mounting it to sustain a vertical load and having ahorizontal supporting portion over which said depending part is receivedwith the latter extending transversely thereof, whereby said plumbingfixture, in course of installation, may be adjusted or shifted indirection lengthwise and crosswise of said horizontal supportingportion, an elongated member extending lengthwise of said horizontalbracket portion and below the upper face thereof, securing means forsaid depending part comprising clamping means extending above said upperface for engagement with said depending part and means extending intoengagement with said elongated member, said last-mentioned means, saidelongated member and said bracket having coacting parts for fixing theposition of said clamping means lengthwise of said horizontal bracketportion to bring said clamping means into clamping relation to saiddepending part in whatever position the latter assumes as a result ofsaid depending part being shifted lengthwise of said horizontal portion.

MICHAEL A. CROZIER.

